1983 Fender 2-Knob Stratocaster, Black

Here we are offering a rare piece of a transitional time, a 1983 Fender 2-Knob Stratocaster in black finish with a maple fretboard. Masterpiece or madness, these Strats are a rare and limited part of the model’s storied past, and this one is a perfect link to complete any collector’s chain. It does have some decent wear on the back and on the pickguard, but the black finish still shines up nice and the wear isn’t noticeable from a distance. Furthering its collector value is that fact that it has retained its tremolo bar, which are notoriously rare and expensive to replace. It also has its original case, warranty documents, inspection tag, Fender Merchandise order forms, owner’s manual, and cleaning cloth and sticker still in plastic. The instrument was definitely played and enjoyed by its previous owner, and it's easy to see why. With great playability and sweet single-coil tone, this guitar is still a Strat and no mistake. Though, to this player, the bridge pick-up lacks some character. In short, this black sheep is an important piece in the shifting history of Fender, and a must-have for any Strat fanatic!

A Brief History from our Tech Writer

The oft-maligned CBS era of Fender Guitars was a time of experimentation and change, especially for the Stratocaster. Innovations (to some, regressions) included a 3-bolt neck, a bullet truss rod, and a larger headstock. But when facing declining sales at the end of the decade, Fender brought on Dan Smith to turn it all around. He did so largely by reverting the changes of the past decade, returning the Strat to a 4-bolt neck, a pre-’66 headstock, and a regular truss rod. This model would sadly only be produced for one year in 1982, followed by a most unusual last effort from CBS; the 2-knob Stratocaster. As the name suggests, these Strats had a master volume and a single master tone, but that wasn’t the only change. The bridge was replaced with the one-year-only “Freeflyte” bridge, which was a top-loader, hence the 2-knob Strats had no back cavity or plate. Aside from that, they also had single-ply pick-guards, a standard body top input jack, and a drop-in tremolo bar. These instruments proved fairly unpopular and were discontinued after one year and Fender was bought from CBS by its employees in 1985.

Weight: 7 lbs.13 oz.Nut Width: 1 ⅝”

7/10 (very good condition) 1983 Made in the USA

All of our instruments are inspected by our manufacturer certified technician and stored in our humidity and temperature controlled warehouse. All listings are as pictured in the included photographs. We ship all of our instruments through UPS Ground with Reverb Protection. Please reach out and contact us with any questions you may have!